


White Noise

by sumthingsumthing



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen, Racism, canon compliant-ish?, faunus, the feels?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-08-11 07:33:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7882354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sumthingsumthing/pseuds/sumthingsumthing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A time of peace, a time of harmony...</p>
<p>No festival can unite the legacies of these two fighters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	White Noise

The whole world was muted, as if she was underwater, or half-asleep. The roar of the crowd dulled to a throbbing static. Yang’s voice at her side was completely inaudible. Nothing. Nothing except the sound of her breathing and nothing except for Weiss’ heartbeat, a rapid thumping bassline to the white noise cacophony.

Weiss did not want to be here. She did not want to be doing this.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Control.

It had all seemed so simple in planning, in practice. Weiss and Yang would be the team’s representatives in the doubles round- why them? Why not Ruby, why not Blake? Weiss couldn’t remember their reasoning.

They’d seen who their opponents would be- Neon Katt and Flynt Coal of Atlas. They’d observed their fighting styles, their strengths and weaknesses. They’d come up with a plan.

Yang would fight Flynt, powering through his sonic blasts.

Weiss would fight Neon, using her glyphs to slow the agile skater.

So simple. But they’d forgotten two important details.

“Down with the SDC!” a woman shrieked, her voice cutting through Weiss’ haze. “No blood for Dust!”

“Put that animal where it belongs! Put it down!” a man’s voice bellowed, his voice hoarse with hate.

The signal collapsed, and Weiss began picking out individual voices.

Cheers for Neon, to stand against a Schnee, the face of oppression. Jeers and insults for being Faunus, and thinking to challenge her betters.

Protests against Weiss, against her family and her company for the blood on their hands. Vicious diatribes against the White Fang, murderers and monsters, in support of the Schnees, who had been targeted most heavily.

Nevermind that Neon had never shown any indication of support for the terrorist organization.

In. Out.

In. Out.

Professor Port kept talking, introducing fighters who needed no introduction, a long-winded speech that Weiss prayed would end soon, just so the waiting would be over. What did he think? Was he trying to drown out the crowd in his own way?

Doctor Oobleck snuck in a word where he could, and followed it with a dozen more. Weiss hoped he never stopped, that he rambled on forever, so that the inevitable would be delayed just that much longer.

Breathe in. Breathe out. When she was young and just starting to sing in front of crowds, Weiss would imagine her fears carried out and away by the carbon dioxide in her breath. Her fear that she would fail, that she wouldn't be  _perfect_.

Protests against Atlas, against its increasingly industrialized military. Against the Council of Vale, its detractors taking any opportunity to air their grievances. Shouts from the competing schools, so petty seeming in the greater scheme.

“Traitor!” That one got Weiss’ attention. She glanced around the stands- there. A group of uniformed Atlas Academy students. Weiss assumed it was directed at her. It had practically been carved in ice that she’d attend the Academy, so her attendance at Beacon-

They weren’t shouting at her. “Animal lover! Disgrace!” they yelled at Flynt.

Weiss took real note of Flynt and Neon’s outfits, so colourful and distinctive. Not the usual Atlas quasi-military uniforms and fighting outfits, drab and grey.

Atlas, the most segregated and hateful of the kingdoms. Atlas, last of the Academies to allow Faunus students. Eighty years since their founding and that change had happened within Weiss’ lifetime.

How many Faunus students attended the school? What kind of discrimination did Neon face from her classmates and peers, everyday? How much did her little uniform rebellion cost her?

Even Flynt was a traitor and disgrace for supporting his partner.

Weiss couldn’t- couldn’t- fight her. If Weiss won, it’d destroy Neon, she was sure of it. She’d just be giving countless racists even more ammo to use to berate the Faunus. Could she throw the fight? Weiss didn’t care about her own reputation, not really, not in this- would Yang understand? Ruby? Blake? Oh God, Blake… what must she think of this? Why hadn’t she said anything?

But even if she lost... She’d be making a target out of Neon, as the close-minded focused on her to vent their hate and frustration.

Could she back out, trade places with Ruby? No, that wouldn’t be allowed. And it would still have unintended consequences.

Yang nudged her arm, and Weiss realized she’d been gripping Myrtenaster’s hilt so hard her hand had gone numb.

In. Out.

Weiss realized she’d forgotten the most important view to consider in her dilemma.

Neon’s.

What did she want? Did she want to fight? Did she hate Weiss?

They caught eyes across the arena. Neon looked just as worried as Weiss felt, but after a moment it looked like something clicked, and energy surged into the Faunus girl. She flashed a quick smile, but then glanced at Flynt. He apparently got whatever message or meaning she’d silently passed, and pointed at Weiss in response.

“Hey, you Weiss Schnee?” he asked, his voice brash and brassy. It was a pointless question, of course he knew who she was-

“I am,” she replied anyway.

“I take it you're pretty good with Dust, then?”

Weiss wondered where he was going with this. “I do my best.”

“Yeah, my dad was good too. Owned a little Dust shop of his own.” His voice took a dark turn. “Till your father's company ran him out of business.”

Weiss understood their way out, now. Not Human vs. Faunus, but big business vs. little business. Not a perfect solution, but better-

“Oh,” she said, apologetically. “I'm sorry to hear that.” Inwardly she was rejoicing.

Flynt looked away. “Sure you are,” he snapped sarcastically. Or maybe he really just didn’t like her? 

Or maybe he really just didn’t like her?

Yang stepped forwards to defend her.

No, no, didn’t she get it? Didn’t she understand?

“Hey! Why don't you-”

Neon spoke up. “Hey! Why don't you?” she imitated Yang’s voice. “That's what you sound like!”

Perfect. Redefine the battle lines- so what if it wasn’t what Weiss and Yang had practised? It was better this way in the end. Not perfect… but that was ok. Nothing was, afterall.

In. Out. She didn’t need it anymore. She was calm. If the crowd was still yelling she didn’t hear it.

Neon continued to try to get Yang’s attention. “Hey, where’d you get your hair extensions?” she needled.

Weiss blinked. Too far, that was too far…

Neon might actually regret fighting Yang instead, Weiss thought, as she felt the air next to her start to heat up.

**Author's Note:**

> Carbon dioxide gas is used to make 'neon' lights with a white colour.
> 
> Still working on Gutter Fires, don't worry.


End file.
